Buying Advice Shopping Advice - Small L's

[Harv]

Shopping Advice - Small L\'s

As some of you know, I've been shopping in vain for a reasonable deal on an L-series Kubota in the 25-30hp range. I started with a very small budget, hoping to find a "steal" on a good used machine. Had a couple of close calls, but each one vanished in a cloud of wispy smoke before I actually got my hands on them.

I have sinced raised the bar a little, budget-wise, but it seems that at least out here on the west coast the market has completely dried up. I was even considering a brand new economy L3000, but there are none available even to look at within practical driving distance. I'm trying not to take it personally. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

For a brief while it looked like I might wind up in the seat of a 2850, a 2900 or even a 3010, and I got very psyched up about having some real horsepower at my disposal. But they all turned wispy and blew away (too far to ship, worse condition than advertised, decided not to sell after all).

Then there was the 2350 repo deal I posted about a while back. Seems like somebody doesn't want me to have a tractor. Then for the last several weeks -- nothing.

Today I find 2 new possibilites coming up. One is a brand new L2500 4WD, FEL, standard transmission for just a "little" more than I was hoping to spend.

The other is an L2250 4WD, FEL, shuttle transmission. It's maybe 8 or 9 years old with only 212 hours on it -- used exclusively in a nursery. Price yet to be determined, but expected to be very reasonable.

Come Wednesday I may be faced with "the decision" -- give up the dreams of horsepower and go with a reasonably-priced bird-in-the-hand (no offense, Bird), or wait and see if anything better shows up at some indefinite time in the future. Since this is my first tractor, my sensible side says take the deal and learn to use the damn thing before I go nuts worrying about horsepower. If I take reasonable care of it I can always trade up in a year or so with very little loss. (I hate being practical.)

The question I put to you experienced folks (takes me forever to get to it, eh?) -- will a 25hp gross/21hp PTO serve me to:

1. Drag a 5-foot bush hog (we're talking tall grass, scrub oak and star-thistle by the acre)
2. Pull small stumps (4 to 5 inchers)
3. Dig/maintain several water channels (dig ditches, install culvert pipe)
4. Skid the occassinal 12 to 14-inch log.
5. Shuttle rocks and boulders (up to, say, 14-inch diameter)

We're talking about 42 acres -- some flat, most quite hilly and fairly rugged.

I guess I'm trying to psyche myself down to the small tractor, but emotionally I'm having considerable difficulty.

 

[scruffy]

Re: Shopping Advice - Small L\'s

Harv, take a look on ebay, theres been several listed with low hours, and one even may be in your area so that you can take a look. One of the other members may even live in an area where one exists to drive by and look for you. Who knows? Don't get discouraged Sir! Hang in there and the right one will pop up outta nowhere.

 

[Harv]

Re: Shopping Advice - Small L\'s

Thanks, Scruffy!

eBay is one of several sources I have been keeping a close eye on. Nothing quite right yet.

 

[geneP]

Re: Shopping Advice - Small L\'s

Harv, I bought a used L2250 2WD in June. I use a 5' brush hog and a 5 1/2' Gannon box blade. It handles brush hog with ease in bahaya grass and sapplings up to about 2inches. The limiting factor with the box blade is traction. I really don't think horsepower will be a problem if you decide to go with the "reasonable" deal. You must keep in mind that to transfer horsepower to the ground (draging logs, rocks, stumps, etc), you must have weight for traction. Any of the compacts aren't going to be heavy enough to be stump pullers. My L weighs about 2150 (advertised weight?) and I've added about 250# in brush guard, front weights and skid plate. If I remember correctly, the B2710/2910 aren't that heavy.

I've been pushing 3-5" trees over by hitting them high with my box blade, knocking them over, then catching the lower trunk/root area with the scarfiers on the blade and pulling them out of the ground. Works pretty well, but not as well as having a 5000# tractor to manhandle them with sheer weight.

I guess what I am trying to say is that IMHO none of the lighter compacts are going to be able to utilize more horsepower because of limited weight/traction. If you load the FEL you'll have traction on the front wheels, you just find the right gear to make it move.

 

[gordon]

Re: Shopping Advice - Small L\'s

Harv when I was trying to decide on my new model it was a VERY difficult decision for me to make. My head was spinning I wanted the price of a smaller L-series but there was no way that I could make a smaller tractor work for me. So I ended up with a L-4310 that was as small as I wanted to go. It now is sitting at the dealership in the back lot just waiting for me but I have a couple of logging plots to do with my old tractor before I'll pick her up. I had planned on upgrading at the end of the year but Kubota went and lowered the fiance rate so I went for it. The dealer was fine with me using my present tractor until the end of fall after all he has my new tractor held hostage so to speak./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

One thing be careful of hour meters if the one tractor only has 212 hours on it that is only 26hrs a year. That just seems alittle low to me for being used at a nursery---be careful on that one!. Good luck in your quest! Finding a great deal on a used Kubota is next to impossible around here anyway. They hold their value very well as long as they are kept up.
Gordon

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Shopping Advice - Small L\'s

1991 last year L-2250 made and at 212 hrs. that nursery must be slow, sounds funny to me. If it is a cream puff the dealer around here, east coust are asking $11500-12500 for this size tractor with kubota loader. The shuttle transmision beats the between your legs L2500 and L2600 and L3000 any day. The column [censored] is eazy and year ahead of the ecomomey L tractors.

 

[Harv]

Re: Shopping Advice - Small L\'s

Gene -

Glad to hear some first-hand 2250 experience. I especially appreciate tips like you just gave about knocking over small trees. As a beginner, I'm going to need as much of that kind of advice as I can get.

Glad you mentioned the traction thing. From what I've gathered from reading messages on this board, you can get a lot more out of the horsepower you've got if your tractor has a firm grip on the ground. To that end I was already planning on adding rear wheel weights and always having a hefty implement on the back just for ballast. I'm having trouble warming up to the liquid-filled tires, but I think that's just such a foreign concept to this city boy that I can't quite get my mind around it. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

The implication here is that a 2250 might be enough tractor if I use it intelligently. Could be a problem here... /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

 

[Harv]

Re: Shopping Advice - Small L\'s

Gordon, TomW -

Yeah, that 212 hours kind of bothers me, too. But if it really was just used very little, what should I watch out for? Is there a "use it or lose it" factor involved?

This one is through my tractor broker and he will be checking it out before I do. He seems to be quite experienced in these matters and so far he has been straight up with me.

If I get to see this thing in person later this week, I'll be sure to bring my digital camera so's I can share with y'all, but as tight as the market is right now, I may have to make an on-the-spot decision. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[DVerbarg]

Re: Shopping Advice - Small L\'s

Harv,

The hp you mention can work fine. It may just take a little longer to accomplish certain tasks compared to a higher hp machine, but then when you are on YOUR tractor extra time may not be that bad... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

I don't have personal experience with Kubotas but have an old 9N that I used for all the purposes that you listed. The 9N has somewhere in the 20ish hp rating (does anyone know the rated hp at time of mfg?) and did just fine. I used the 5' rotary mower, 6' box, pulled tree stumps (they were easier after drying for a couple months), pulled old fallen trees around, graded driveways, cleared snow, etc. If it were not for my recent project of needing a FEL I would still be using that old 9N /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. Its taking a well deserved rest, might even get a new paint job, new clutch, etc

Like everyone has already stated, be careful regarding that 212 hour machine, that seems too low. Its great that you have a broker, someone in your corner working for you.

Let us know how it goes. We're pullin' for ya...

DaveV

 

[Muhammad]

Re: Shopping Advice - Small L\'s

<font color=blue>1. Drag a 5-foot bush hog (we're talking tall grass, scrub oak and star-thistle by the acre)</font color=blue>

I think the L2250 is rated for a 5'. In any event, I've seen them go with a 5' cutter.

<font color=blue>2. Pull small stumps (4 to 5 inchers)</font color=blue>

Many factors to consider on that one... so it would be hard to say. But remember, 26.5 hp on 4 wheels does not = a dozer. /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

<font color=blue>3. Dig/maintain several water channels (dig ditches, install culvert pipe)</font color=blue>

Sure, with time and technique!

<font color=blue>4. Skid the occassinal 12 to 14-inch log.</font color=blue>

Sounds reasonable as long as it is a log, not a tree. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Weight can add up real quickly there.

<font color=blue>5. Shuttle rocks and boulders (up to, say, 14-inch diameter)</font color=blue>

I've seen some really big rocks in the buckets of smaller tractors... this one sounds pretty reasonable!

I have seen the L2250 around a number of times... solid workhorse is what I'd say about it. I have seen them tackle much more than 42 acres... through 4 seasons. Whatever had to be done, got done.

As others mentioned... make sure the condition matches up with 217 hours in 8/9 years. Hour meter 'tampering' doesn't seem to be a major problem but it can happen inadvertently also. Ask lots of questions, too! The more you know about the tractor, the better decision you can make.